Robin Barnes - FestiGals

New Orleans songstress Robin "Sunpie" Barnes will appear as Grand Diva of the 2017 FestiGals program taking place June 22—24.

A non-profit entity dedicated to raising awareness and resources for community projects that impact women, FestiGals is the organization behind a three-day schedule of empowerment workshops, inspirational seminars, special tours, and shopping experiences developed by women, for women. This year (the seventh annual), festival attendees will fan out from their base at the JW Marriott Hotel on Canal Street, to locations around the French Quarter to attend seminars, workshops, professional development programs, and entertaining social events such as a Bodacious Bras for a Cause fundraiser and always-popular Stiletto Stroll (there's also a Stiletto Sprint, for anyone athletic or masochistic enough). Following in the footsteps of local luminaries including Angela Hill and Irma Thomas, New Orleans songbird Robin Barnes (above) reigns over proceedings as 2017's Grand Diva.

Headlining Friday's New Orleans Women’s Leadership Conference will be Linda Alvarado, nationally recognized speaker, president and CEO of Alvarado Construction, Inc., and the first Hispanic owner of a Major League Baseball franchise. As an owner of the Colorado Rockies, her role is also significant as it marked the first time that any woman was involved in a bid for ownership of a MLB team. Alvarado is an advocate for business issues and has been a commissioner of the White House Initiative for Hispanic Excellence in Education. Her program, themed Passion, Purpose & Power, will feature three seminar tracks focusing on professional development, personal enrichment and New Orleans culture. Other Friday speakers will include Intentional Kate, Propeller’s Andrea Chin, acclaimed attorney Kim Boyle, Chef Kristen Essig, Burlesque Diva Trixie Minx, Coulter IdeaPitch award winner Crystal McDonald, fitness pro April Dupree, Angela Grittman of Wayward Owl Brewery, self-proclaimed food goddess Lorin Gaudin and other notables. Returning will be FestiTalks, the series of rapid-fire, dynamic presentations on various topics, delivered in small segments to be easy to retain.

On Saturday, FestiGals reprises its cherished Bodacious Bras for a Cause Brunch, where the top fundraising bras from the Bodacious Bra Challenge are sold to the highest bidders. A Thriver Fashion Show follows, in which models “thriving in their cancer recovery” flaunt attire from Stein Mart on the catwalk. Proceeds benefit the Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans and Breastoration, Inc.

FestiGals’ single event tickets are on sale; but for the truly festive ladies, there's a FestiGals Diva Package that includes perks such as a Culinary Demo/Dinner with Chef Sam Carroll at Sac-a-lait, private home tours and an opening reception at the Louisiana State Museum’s Presbytere. Learn more at festigals.org.